PlayStation 3
"Too be honest, I don't play much of the PS3." Miles Prower (talk)Tails the Fox70 Description The PlayStation 3 (Japanese: プレイステーション3, Hepburn: Pureisutēshon Surī?, officially abbreviated as PS3[7]) is a home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan,[8] with international markets following shortly thereafter.[9][10][11] The console was first officially announced at E3 2005. Originally set for a spring 2006 release date, it was delayed several times until finally hitting stores at the end of the year. It was the first and currently only console to use Blu-ray Disc as its primary storage medium.[12] Major features of the console include its unified online gaming service, the PlayStation Network,[13] and its[14] connectivity with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita,[15] In September 2009 the updated PlayStation 3 Slim, was released. This Slim is lighter and thinner than the original version, although lacks PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility (removed on later original models), but notably featured a re-designed logo and marketing design. As of November 4, 2012, 70 million PlayStation 3s have been sold worldwide. Its successor, PlayStation 4, is set for a Q4 2013 release. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PlayStation_3&action=edit&section=1 edit History Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation 3 (then marketed as PLAYSTATION 3[16]) to the public on May 16, 2005, at the E3 2005 conference,[17] along with a 'boomerang' shaped prototype design of the Sixaxis controller.[18] A functional version of the system was not present there,[19] nor at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005,[20] although demonstrations (such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots[19]) were held at both events on software development kits and comparable personal computer hardware.[19][20] Video footage based on the predicted PlayStation 3 specifications was also shown (notably a Final Fantasy VII tech demo).[21] The initial prototype shown in May 2005 featured two HDMI ports, three Ethernet ports and six USB ports;[22] however, when the system was shown again a year later at E3 2006, these were reduced to one HDMI port, one Ethernet port and four USB ports, presumably to cut costs.[23][24] Two hardware configurations were also announced for the console: a 20 GB model and a 60 GB model, priced at US$499 (€499) and US$599 (€599), respectively.[23] The 60 GB model was to be the only configuration to feature an HDMI port, Wi-Fi internet, flash card readers and a chrome trim with the logo in silver.[23] Both models were announced for a simultaneous worldwide release: November 11, 2006, for Japan and November 17, 2006, for North America and Europe.[25] On September 6, 2006, Sony announced that the PAL region PlayStation 3 launch would be delayed until March 2007, due to a shortage of materials used in the Blu-ray drive.[26] At the Tokyo Game Show on September 22, 2006, Sony announced that it would include an HDMI port on the 20 GB system, but a chrome trim, flash card readers, silver logo and Wi-Fi would not be included.[27] Also, the launch price of the Japanese 20 GB model was reduced by over 20%,[28] and the 60 GB model was announced for an open pricing scheme in Japan.[28] During the event, Sony showed 27 playable PS3 games running on final hardware.[29] Category:Console